In a traditional retail store, bar code scanners rely on price information maintained within a price-lookup (PLU) file. The PLU file is typically stored in a single location at host server.
Electronic shelf label (EPL) systems typically include a plurality of electronic displays. The electronic displays are coupled to a central server from where prices for all of the displays can be changed.
In a typical installation, one electronic shelf label is assigned to each PLU item in the store. Decisions regarding EPL assignments are typically made by store personnel. The current process implemented by such personnel involves periodically scanning items within the store with a hand-held scanner and manually recording whether a price change occurred. Store personnel review the manually gathered statistics and determine EPL assignments. This method is expensive and time consuming.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method for assigning electronic shelf labels to PLU file items which minimizes decisions by store personnel and maximizes a store's return on investment in the electronic shelf label system.